Building With Style: Big Ideas for Small Bathrooms

The world has seen too many bathrooms
of the same mold. I refer to
what has become the standard for
small to medium-sized bathrooms: a
tub along a 5-foot wall, a toilet, and a
30- to 48-inch vanity topped with a
small, recessed, mirrored medicine
cabinet illuminated by a strip of round
theatrical lights. It's the epitome of
blandness—all function, no inspiration.
But are there alternatives when
all these elements are necessary and
space inhibits a more imaginative
design?
I will describe some options I have
found in trying to design bathrooms
that are functional yet stylistically
responsive and interesting, while
accepting the condition of limited
space.
A primary problem in the standard
bathroom I've described is the lavatory/
vanity unit, or